John Cabot Academy is a mainstream secondary school in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, for children and young people aged 11 to 19. In January 2026, 212 of its 1,244 pupils (17%) were getting SEN support and 31 (2.5%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–19
- 1,244 pupils
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in South Gloucestershire.
17% get SEN support
212 of 1,244 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
2.5% have an EHC plan
31 of 1,244 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health84
- Speech, language and communication45
- Autism37
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia37
- Moderate learning difficulty24
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Academy (sponsored)
- Ages
- 11 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,244 (places for 1,400)
- Headteacher
- Ms Kate Willis (Principal)
- Part of
- Cabot Learning Federation
- Free school meals
- 30.4% of pupils eligible
- Council
- South Gloucestershire
- School reference (URN)
- 135295
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask South Gloucestershire council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Graded by area, November 2024
Inspected in November 2024. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Woodside Road, Kingswood, Bristol, BS15 8BD
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- New Horizons Learning Centre Special school · Ages 5–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.9 miles
- Hanham Woods Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 1.0 mile
- Soundwell Academy Special school · Ages 5–18 · Ofsted: Good 1.1 miles
- Broomhill Infant & Nursery School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–7 · Ofsted: Good 1.6 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Beacon Rise Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 13.8%, EHC plans 4.5% 0.3 miles
- Two Mile Hill Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 15.5%, EHC plans 5.3% 0.3 miles
- Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 18.8%, EHC plans 2.2% 0.4 miles
All mainstream schools in South Gloucestershire SEND schools in South Gloucestershire
Questions about John Cabot Academy
How many pupils at John Cabot Academy have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 212 of the 1,244 pupils (17%) were getting SEN support and 31 (2.5%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at John Cabot Academy?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (84 pupils), speech, language and communication needs (45 pupils) and autism (37 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at John Cabot Academy?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at John Cabot Academy?
Through South Gloucestershire council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to John Cabot Academy?
You can ask for John Cabot Academy to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does John Cabot Academy have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Hanham Woods Academy, about 1.0 mile away.
Where is John Cabot Academy?
Woodside Road, Kingswood, Bristol, BS15 8BD, in South Gloucestershire.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.